Chris Wondolowski's shots during a recent practice with the San Jose Earthquakes radiated confidence.

Driving the ball hard and low on the ground, Major League Soccer's top scorer with 13 goals on the season, hits the mark on almost every shot he takes.

Wondolowski, 29, pauses briefly to enjoy the sight of a ball rattling the back of the net. Then the Danville native quickly returns to work.

This is the attitude that has brought Wondolowski to a level few thought he could achieve -- an MLS Golden Boot winner and member of the U.S. men's national team.

Yet, there wasn't always this much confidence and success in Wondolowski's game.

"He went from nobody being able to pronounce his name to being the first name everyone talks about," Earthquakes goalkeeper Jon Busch said.

Wondolowski was considered a "journeyman" when coming to San Jose during the 2009 season. He started in only 11 games through '09 and didn't become a regular until the 2010 season, when he started 29 games and became the league's leading scorer.

"It's tough," he said, "the league has been growing and there's a lot of talent, so it's hard to break in sometimes." Yet it is Wondolowski's work on and off the field that has made him the player he is today.

"It's always nice to see the guys who put the work in develop," Busch said.

Advertisement

What differentiates Wondolowski from his peers is his raw passion for the game. When asked what kept him motivated during tough times when he lacked playing time, Wondolowski said, "It was really the love of the game. I truly love coming out everyday for practice or games."

When a player appreciates the game as much as Wondolowski does, it is only a matter of time before opportunity arrives.

It was coach Frank Yallop that gave Wondolowski this chance.

"I credit him for the work he does before and after practice," Yallop said.

Now Yallop is happy how Wondolowski has developed.

"He's starting to understand his role other than scoring goals," Yallop said.

"He understands the possession role and knows how to play in every situation."

His opportunity came when he was given a spot on the starting line up after an injury to a teammate. Wondolowski played well enough to earn a starting position and maintain it.

Since this opportunity came much later in Wondolowski's career, he is one of the older players on the Earthquakes and national team.

His career took a lot longer to develop than many other players, often giving him the title of late bloomer. The label hasn't fazed Wondolowski, who embraces the opportunity presented to him.

"In a sense, I would consider myself a late bloomer," Wondolowski says, "but I've always been confident in my abilities and it's just working out an opportunity to break into the starting lineup and working to keep it."

Similar to Wondolowski's status as a late bloomer, the sport's popularity has blossomed in the United States over the same time period. Both soccer in America and Wondolowski began modestly, appealing to a smaller audience, but over time have evolved to become something much bigger, drawing much more attention.

The popularity of soccer has increased steadily over the last several years.

Although the fan bases don't yet compare to those of American professional football and basketball, soccer has become huge in two important demographics: Americans between 12-24 years of age and Hispanics.

In a poll conducted by ESPN in the spring, Americans between the ages of 12- 24 voted soccer as their second favorite sport, behind the NFL. And professional soccer ranks as the number one sport among Hispanics, far ahead of other "traditional" American sports.

Additionally the percentage of Americans over the age of 12 who consider themselves "avid" fans of MLS has increased from 2.8 percent in 2000 to an all- time high of 7 percent in 2011.

Wondolowski himself has taken several steps to promote the sport and encourage others to follow in his footsteps.

"Something I try to do is help out with the youth anytime I can," Wondolowski said. "I really enjoy coaching and teaching upon the knowledge that I've gained throughout my career."

When his career is over, Wondolowski wants to continue working with the youth and the community.But he isn't quite ready for that time yet. In order to fully play a part in promoting the sport in the United States, Wondolowski wants to help America contend for a World Cup title.

"Bringing a World Cup trophy back home would cause U.S. soccer to take off and really become something special," he said.